Ray Russell: Why Not Now

It's too intrusive and insistent to be ambient; too ethereal to be considered fusion by its more traditional definition; and too structured to be jazz, even though solos abound albeit in a context that has little to do with the virtuosity that Russell clearly possesses. Why Not Now rests comfortably on the edge of all. Some reference points can be found by way of precedence in the soundscapes of guitarist Bill Nelson and David Torn (albeit less idiosyncratic), the instrumental music of David Sylvian, and the overdubbed experiments of early Mike Oldfield, but it's just the kind of album that could fall between the cracks and, in fact, did just that when first released.

Russell first came to prominence in the mid-'60s as part of the John Barry Seven and Georgie Fame & The Blue Flames, going on to work with British jazz/rock progenitor Nucleus , amongst others. He always seemed to remain under the radar, even as he amassed a significant body of work with artists as diverse as Tina Turner, James Galway and Maria Muldaur. Whatever reputation he had as a solo artist was related to work that was jazz-centric, albeit with more than a small nod to the fusion camp.

Why Not Now finds Russell with a large cast of supporting characters, including trumpeter/keyboardist Mark Isham, long-time musical associate and bassist Mo Foster, and even noted arranger/composer/pianist Gil Evans, whose music Russell played as a member of The British Orchestra in the early '80s. Russell even covers Evans' "The Pan Piper," originally found on the classic Miles Davis/Gil Evans collaboration Sketches of Spain. But Russell's take is more atmospheric, with synthesizers and layers of guitar creating a rich audioscape. Evans also plays on the even more unworldly "Sketches of Gil," completed shortly before Evans' death.

Elsewhere Russell creates richly textured soundscapes that are as much, if not more, about evocation as they are the act of performance. Russell uses an arsenal of guitars and somewhat dated synthesizer textures to build compositions that are lyrical and largely hypnotic. Even the four bonus tracks, three of which feature another long-time musical partner drummer Simon Phillips, maintain a sense of space and trance, although they ultimately resolve into rhythmically-charged solo segments for more overtly fusion-based musings from Russell.

Angel Air's series of Russell reissues is a welcome effort which, if there's any justice, ought to bring his name to broader visibility. Certainly Russell, as much a composer/arranger as guitarist, has a surprisingly varied body of work that deserves exposure, with Why Not Now providing a compelling view of but one aspect of his respectable talent.

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